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She has orchestrated a string of critical interviews, refused a palace plea for her discretion, and claimed responsibility for the photoshoot that brought the royal wedding into headlines for all the wrong reasons.

But Meghan Markle’s estranged half sister has not given up hope of seeing her in person for her wedding to Prince Harry.

Samantha Grant has said she would still like to give a “sentimental” wedding present to the couple in person, despite not being invited to the Windsor Castle celebrations.

Thomas Markle, her father, is allegedly undergoing medical treatment for a heart condition which, in the most recent of many pronouncements, he has said will leave him unable to travel to walk his daughter down the aisle.

Kensington Palace have not commented on the claims, with observers left mystified over this week's rapidly developing events.

Samantha Grant with Meghan Markle before they lost touch

On Wednesday, Doria Ragland, Ms Markle’s mother, flew into Heathrow to be by her daughter’s side, in a planned trip that will now take on extra resonance.

Ms Ragland, who has spent time with Prince Harry as his relationship with Ms Markle developed, will provide welcome support for the bride-to-be, whose paternal family have caused major disruption to wedding planning this week.

She will meet the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and Duke and Duchess of Cambridge ahead of the wedding, now expected to go alone instead of with her ex-husband Mr Markle.

Ms Ragland, who is being looked after by staff at Kensington Palace, was met at the airport by Prince Harry’s assistant private secretary Amy Pickerill, with her luggage - including a dress-sized bag from Burberry - taken through Heathrow's VIP Windsor suite.

Thomas Markle, with his daughter Meghan

Ms Markle’s friends including Jessica Mulroney, a Canadian stylist, have also landed in the UK, for what Royal watchers will now hope are trouble-free final preparations for the wedding on Saturday.

Ms Grant, meanwhile, understood another round of media interviews, in which she appeared on Australian television and spoke directly to gossip website TMZ.

Asked whether the palace had ever requested her discretion in her words about Ms Markle during an appearance on Sunrise television, her half sister disclosed: “Early in the year we were asked not to speak to the public, but I’m pretty adamant about it.

“It was my observation that even family members who didn’t speak to the media were made fun of, they were taunted, they were photographed, they were insulted.

Meghan Markle with her mother Doria

“I’m not giving them license for them to disparage me like that without at least leveling the playing field for intelligent minds.”

Referring to Ms Markle, she told TMZ: “There's something in this country called freedom of speech.

"She doesn't have a copyright on that and she's not going to tell me that I can't speak about my own life and my father's when it's a matter of public self-defence.

“This is not Great Britain and I am a United States citizen and she's way out of her league by telling me she can't speak.”